The third-year big man had a verbal altercation with coach Keith Smart during halftime of the Kings' loss at the Clippers on Friday and was left in the locker room for the entire second half as a result. Two people with knowledge of the incident told USA TODAY Sports that nothing of a physical nature occurred between Cousins and his coach and that the yelling went back and forth between both men.

Cousins, according to one of the people, used extensive profanity while sharing his latest frustrations. The people spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

Cousins was reached by USA TODAY Sports on Saturday after the announcement, but he chose not to comment. He did not take part in the team's practice today, and it's not known how long he will be out. The Kings play at home against Portland on Sunday and play at Portland on Wednesday.

The odds of the latest incident inspiring the Kings to trade Cousins are likely slim, as he is considered the centerpiece of their prolonged rebuilding effort. But a person with knowledge of the Kings' plans said "he's not untouchable," in large part because the 8-18 team is struggling so mightily and all options appear to be under consideration.

Two people with knowledge of Cousins' situation also said that he recently parted ways with the only agent he has had since he was drafted fifth overall out of Kentucky in 2010, John Greig. Cousins is expected to work with agent Dan Fegan now, a move that could spell trouble for the Kings going forward.

Fegan is one of the most powerful agents in the NBA, and his most recent high-profile situation is the very sort of scenario the Kings â?? and every other team, for that matter â?? would like to avoid. Fegan was instrumental in Dwight Howard's exodus from Orlando to the Lakers last summer, having presented the Magic with a list of teams (Brooklyn, Dallas, and the Lakers) to which Howard was willing to re-sign if traded. Fegan's last extensive dealings with the Kings were in 2009, and they were far from positive for either side.

While Fegan insisted then that another of his high-profile clients, Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio, was willing to play in Sacramento rather than return to Spain, general manager Geoff Petrie instead decided to draft Tyreke Evans out of Memphis with the fourth pick. Evans' play during his Rookie of the Year campaign sparked a short-lived turnaround for the long-failing franchise and eventually led to a three-year extension for Petrie, but Rubio â?? who was taken fifth by Minnesota and played in Spain for two years before debuting in 2011 -would later become one of the most exciting young point guards in the league.

Fegan was also the agent for former Kings shooting guard Kevin Martin when he was traded from Sacramento to Houston in Feb. 2010, a move that Fegan said at the time was a ripple effect of the Kings' decision to draft Evans. While his dealings with Petrie were known to be contentious at the time, Fegan is well acquainted with the Maloof family that owns the team and will certainly have a line of communication at the top as well.

As for Cousins and whether he may want to find a way out of Sacramento? The answer there isn't quite so clear.

The 22-year-old has consistently expressed disappointment with the way he has been handled in times like these, though Smart was always one of the few who Cousins believed truly supported him. The pressure continues to build in this situation because of the realities of his contract situation. Cousins is eligible for an extension this summer and will become a restricted free agent after the 2013-14 season if one isn't agreed on by then.

While the loss to the Clippers was the sixth in seven games for the Kings, the situation with Cousins goes well beyond the team's on-court struggles. His battles with former coach Paul Westphal as a rookie eventually led to his firing seven games into last season, and this marks the third time Cousins has been disciplined this season.

A postgame discussion with San Antonio Spurs broadcaster Sean Elliott on Nov. 9 led to a two-game suspension from the NBA after he confronted the former player about statements made during the telecast. The specifics of what was said between the two men remain in dispute, but Cousins - at minimum - clearly erred in his decision bypass team security and leave the team's locker room at Sleep Train Arena and address Elliott directly.

On Dec. 11, he was suspended one game by the NBA for hitting Dallas' OJ Mayo in the groin in the Kings' game against the Mavericks on Dec. 10. The fact that the latest incident involved Smart is significant, though, as no one has been a bigger backer than the coach who took over for Westphal and had forged a far better relationship with Cousins than his predecessor.

Cousins apologized for the incident with his coach after the Clippers game.

"What happens in the locker room stays in the locker room, but I was wrong," Cousins told reporters afterward. "I'm a player that definitely wants to win every night, and I'm an emotional player. That's never going to change. But I shouldn't have responded back. Something was said, and I just should have stayed quiet. Is it a humbling thing? Yeah, I will say that. I mean, I messed up and I apologize to my teammates for responding the way I did, and I'll move on from it."

Cousins is a gifted big man, but has had attitude issues since joining the Kings as a rookie in 2010-11. He averaged 18.1 points and 11 rebounds last season and is averaging 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds this season.

Before this season even began, he also ran afoul of Team USA in July during the U.S. men's national team's preparation for the London Olympics. Cousins was a member of the select team -- top young players chosen to scrimmage and challenge the Olympic team.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said at the time Cousins "has some growing up to do" and later added, ""He needs to mature as a person (and) as a player if he's going to have an outstanding NBA career."